THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 5 FEBRUARY 2018

Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and MartyrLectionary: 329

The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenantfrom the City of David, which is Zion.All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomonduring the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).When all the elders of Israel had arrived,the priests took up the ark;they carried the ark of the LORDand the meeting tent with all the sacred vesselsthat were in the tent.(The priests and Levites carried them.)King Solomon and the entire community of Israelpresent for the occasionsacrificed before the ark sheep and oxentoo many to number or count.The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORDto its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,the holy of holies of the temple.The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,sheltering the ark and its poles from above.There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tabletswhich Moses had put there at Horeb,when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israelat their departure from the land of Egypt.When the priests left the holy place,the cloud filled the temple of the LORDso that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,since the LORD’s glory had filled the temple of the LORD.Then Solomon said, “The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;I have truly built you a princely house,a dwelling where you may abide forever.”

R. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;we found it in the fields of Jaar.Let us enter into his dwelling,let us worship at his footstool.R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!Advance, O LORD, to your resting place,you and the ark of your majesty.May your priests be clothed with justice;let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.For the sake of David your servant,reject not the plea of your anointed.R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaretand tied up there.As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.They scurried about the surrounding countryand began to bring in the sick on matsto wherever they heard he was.Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,they laid the sick in the marketplacesand begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;and as many as touched it were healed.